Megan Phillips
Staff Writer
Last Thursday night, April 10, the softball team traveled to Birmingham where they faced off against Sun Belt rival the UAB Blazers in a single-game battle for the victory and then headed to Texas to take on UT Arlington.
The UAB game showed both teams to be evenly matched, with Troy taking an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. In the first, Troy loaded the bases with one out when sophomore outfielder Amanda Winters came to the plate, hitting a single to right field, which would bring senior outfielder Ebony Wright and junior outfielder Erica Davis home.
In the following innings, the Blazers would catch up to the Trojans, scoring one runner in the bottom of the second and another run in the bottom of the fifth, bringing the score up to a tie.
This tie remained through the end of the seventh, causing Troy to enter its fourth consecutive extra-inning game this season.
In the eighth inning, Wright would hit a two-out single, and then come home on a double by Davis, propelling the Trojans to their 3-2 victory.
On Saturday, April 12, Troy took to the buses to travel all the way to Arlington, Texas, to start the series against UT Arlington.
In game one, the Trojans would fall to the Mavericks 2-1, scoring their only run in the top of the fifth in an attempt to catch up with the Maverick’s two-run lead obtained in the bottom of the third.
However, the score reflected largely the home run game that the Trojans have maintained with junior catcher Alison Milam hitting her second home run of the season.
In game two, Troy returned with a vengeance which would propel them to a 5-4 victory despite a Maverick attempt at a rally in the bottom of the seventh.
The Trojans hit hard and fast in this game, taking three runs in the top of the second inning, a lead that they carried throughout most of the game.
They held the Mavericks to that one run until the bottom of the seventh when they would score the other three of their runs in a last chance attempt to rally against Troy.
This game showcased the Trojan’s quick feet and base running ability as freshman pinch runner Bria Epps ran for Rainey after her base hit single, stealing second, then advancing to third and finally speeding home off a bunt by senior first baseman Kacie McAllister.
Wright would later hit home freshman shortstop Becca Hartley and McAllister with a single.
Both games were a testament to an awesome pitching game by sophomore Ashley Rainey who threw for nine total innings in both games. Rainey allowed only seven hits and two runs the whole day while striking out nine Mavericks.
Game three against UT Arlington was cancelled making it the second series in a row to have the rubber game called due to inclement weather.
The Trojans now support an overall record of 18-25-2 and a Sun Belt record of 2-9.
Troy softball will take on Louisiana-Lafayette, starting with a doubleheader at home on Friday, April 18, at 4 p.m.
